Narragansett Expands Distribution Along East Coast

Narragansett Expands Distribution Along East Coast

Attention craft beer drinkers in Western Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic U.S.: say hi to your new neighbor.

Narragansett Beer, the 125-year-old heritage brand out of Rhode Island, has announced plans to expand distribution throughout Maryland, Delaware and previously untapped markets in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh, Erie, and Reading.

For wholesale coverage in its new markets, Narragansett has signed on with Legends Distributing in Maryland, NKS Distributing in Delaware, Frank B. Fuhrer in Pittsburgh, Glenwood Beer in Erie and All-Star Distributing in Reading, the company said. In Pennsylvania, Narragansett has a pre-existing presence in Philadelphia.

Narragansett beers – including its flagship Lager, the Mash-Up and Lovecraft series – will be available both on- and off-premise in the new markets later this month.

The expansion, said Narragansett president and CEO Mark Hellendrung, was timed with the recent hire of Vinny Prattico, the brewery’s new vice president of sales and business development.

“Vinny’s valuable industry relationships played an integral role in securing distribution in these markets,” said Hellendrung. “We’re glad to have him on board and look forward to providing beer drinkers around the country with more opportunities to drink ‘Gansett as we continue to grow.”

The brewery is also in search of a facility in Rhode Island to call its own. As Brewbound reported in March, the company was getting ready to close on a 93,000 sq. ft. property in Providence before the building burned down in a fire. Narragansett was planning to share the facility with Isle Brewers Guild, a startup contract brewing outfit similar to Brew Hub and Two Roads Brewing. Narragansett also holds an equity stake in Isle Brewers Guild.

Narragansett sold 78,034 barrels in 2014. Its beer is currently sold in 15 states and Washington, D.C.